Thursday, September 11, 2008

Witch-Hunt!

Merely saying the magical words: “Matt Fox” is surely enough of an introduction here today, but I’d be a poor blog host if I didn’t also say thanks to Brian Hirsch for once again contributing some great story scans! Okay, this actually is Matt Fox too though, right? Someone at Atlas Tales seems to think so... and I think he's right. [Now they think it's Fox inks over Larry Woromay pencils. -- Nequam]

14 comments:

EVERYTHING in this comic is unbelievably great ; I guess the "witch hunt" theme was not an easy one in the fifties , considering the metaphorical significance one could see with a different "witch hunt" going on , in this story it is treated in a very modern and unconventional way ;as you say , Matt Fox is enough as an introduction for anyone who has even a little idea of pre-code comics , the I think this is one of his best efforts from the first to the last panel , but the close-up of the snarling cat in page two is my favourite ...Thanks for sharing

I agree with Silvano about the quality of Matt Fox's work here. Sometimes I think Mr. Fox is more suited to fine art than graphical storytelling (or possibly more suited to the counter-culture crossbreeds of the late eighties New York scene--Fox would be right at home, I think, in RAW). But this one story here proves me quite wrong. This is a fantastic showcase of both his stunningly evocative artwork as well as his ability to lay that work comfortably beside a narrative. Pure blue and red gold.

What an awesome splash--I'll NEVER get tired of seeing art portrayals of the witches' sabbath. It's positively "Haxan"-tastic. Great story, great art, and as Silvano astutely points out, it's provocative subject matter given the time of publication. Thanks for sharing, Mr. K :)

The art here is indeed great, and a nice little twist on the witch hunt theme. I wonder if Silvano's right about it being a sly dig on the modern witch hunts, a la Miller's The Crucible--but even if not, fun stuff.

I don't know that I've ever seen more devilish looking cats, and the sequence of panels in the middle of page two leading up to the hoof prints on the graves is very cinematic and creepy--a great example of visual storytelling.

But while I enjoyed the story, I do feel that it failed to live up to the promise of that INCREDIBLE splash! But to be fair, what could? Like a medieval Hell painting updated for 50s comics. Bonus points for the crazy-eyed chick riding that demon like a pony.

man! that first panel! brings to mind the lyrics of Brother Dave Gardner's "Mad Witch"-

The devil's wife, the old mad witchShe's a ridin' meI felt the bits surge in my mouthfroth from it did flowThe leather across my sweated backWas white as any snowThe devil's wife, the old mad witchShe used to ride a broomNow every night she leaves the earthAnd rides me to the moon

The devil's wife, the old mad witchShe's a ridin' meThere's she makes the devil's signShe waves her magic wandHe throws open the fiery gatesAnd tells her to ride onSaw the burning brimstoneSaw the fiery caveEvery soul that burns thereinIs branded the devil's slave

The devil's wife, the old mad witchShe's a ridin' meWe headed back to earth againThese words I heard her sayYour soul belongs to the devil, manYou can never change your waysSaw the burning brimstoneSaw the fiery caveI told you I'm the devil's wifeI'll ride you to your grave...

I really have nothing to say except that this is probably the best story of Matt Fox's entire career,no mean feat that.As for the cats,all i can say is what they probably said;"Im in ur dungeons,scratchin' ur peasants.".

"...the capital of online comic book horrors... saying "Not the best story THOIA has run" is a bit like saying "one of Beethoven's lesser symphonies!"---Quasar Dragon

"...the object of all horror chicks' wet dreams... a comixkaze of awesome!"---Killer Kittens

"...an online repository of vintage comic fear fare where individual stories from long out-of-print issues are posted in high resolution, page by page. For a fan of EC, Atlas and other Silver Age-era comic companies, it is pure heaven (and hell)..."---Bryan Reesman (Attention Deficit Delirium)